Surrounded by a rich hinterland of tropical rainforests and waterfalls, Townsville is also close to historic gold mining towns, the outback, islands, and of course, the Great Barrier Reef.

The town itself provides a snapshot of all these local features, with its world renowned Reef HQ (photo above), the world's largest living coral reef aquarium, the Billabong Sanctuary, where you can learn all about Australia's fascinating native wildlife, and many other cultural and heritage attractions like the Brolga Dreaming Aboriginal Centre. The locals are Rugby League enthusiast and some travel up to 500km to see their heroes the North Queensland Cowboys play each week.

Population: 150000

Climate: Maximum Temperature 32c-34c Minimum Temperatue 20c-22c